Reparations

[chaseter]

Nobody is getting any of my money because I had nothing to do with it and secondly, nobody today in America is still a slave. Now, if some 140 year old black man is still alive, then yes...give him money.

 

[bullets]

Sure they did.

I think everyone should have a fair chance. I would rather lose a job to someone more qualified .

 

[Jerry!]

Honestly, these questions are just white guys asking other white guys what they think about minority issues, so the whole thing is kind of moot.

Well then answer the question. This is the place for it. There aren't going to be any awkward stares or silences. What do you think about affirmative action?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Honestly, these questions are just white guys asking other white guys what they think about minority issues, so the whole thing is kind of moot.

Isn't that...like...I dunno...the basic description of every minority issue debate like ever.

 

[Joker]

If I were Obama, I'd act straight up gangsta for like, the first week I was in office. It would scare the sh** out of white people. I'd laugh.

That...would be...AWESOME. Like he comes out for his acceptance speech dressed in only FUBU wear, with "F**k the Police" playing. The entire speech would be "Damn straight I'm president, you crackas best watch the f**k out! GAT GAT GAT!" and then drive off in one of those stretch Hummers.

That would automatically make him the best president EVER.

 

[bullets]

Honestly, these questions are just white guys asking other white guys what they think about minority issues, so the whole thing is kind of moot.

you can chime in at any time.

 

[Jerry!]

Exactly. This is the reason why the thread exists.

 

[bullets]

That...would be...AWESOME. Like he comes out for his acceptance speech dressed in only FUBU wear, with "F**k the Police" playing. The entire speech would be "Damn straight I'm president, you crackas best watch the f**k out! GAT GAT GAT!" and then drive off in one of those stretch Hummers.

That would automatically make him the best president EVER.

Either that or the whole "guess what , i am muslim , I LIED"
then he has a limo with "Al quaida rider 4 life " as the bumper sticker.

 

[turtlefocker]

Honestly, these questions are just white guys asking other white guys what they think about minority issues, so the whole thing is kind of moot.

I'm open to as many points of view as I can get. I kind of have alterer motives with this thread. I gotta write an essay for a social studies class I'm taking.

 

[Malice]

I think I deserve reparations
I believe I have family in Germany that were there during WWII and the US and its horrible allies devastated their mansion. I think they owe me.

 

[terry78]

My response is that yes, reparations should be provided to impoverished areas, but use the money to rebuild the community. Not everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

 

[Malice]

My response is that yes, reparations should be provided to impoverished areas, but use the money to rebuild the community. Not everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

I am not making to much money, does that classify me?

 

[Dorian Gray]

Just handing over money to individuals seems it would be like putting a bandade on the whloe thing.

Just use that money and fund inner city schools. Then making energy and health care more affordable for low income families, would be a good start, IMO.

 

[StorminNorman]

Wait...

...you're black!?

 

[oakzap425]

They do need to provide funds for inner cities. Those kinds of reparations I will support fully. And since oakzap and myself are the only two blacks that responded, our word is law. Game over. Close thread. Otherwise we will come to your suburban malls and act in a rowdy fashion.

Totally!

 

[oakzap425]

The best possible reparations that could be offered to Black Americans and all Americans is an opportunity at an excellent education. Disparity in the public school systems exists because of the way public schools are funded. There should be less reliance on local property taxes (meaning, properties in poor neighborhoods pay fewer taxes, therefore offering less support for their local schools) and more federal funding with an equitable distribution of funds.

Kids have no control over the families they are born in to, whether rich or poor. And in this country, they shouldn't be penalized for having parents who are less affluent than others. Every single American child should have an equal opportunity at public education.

I really hate quoting myself...

I'd much rather see the money go towards something that's helping the African-American community as a whole, than to them individually.

 

[StorminNorman]

Honestly, these questions are just white guys asking other white guys what they think about minority issues, so the whole thing is kind of moot.

I don't think that is exactly fair though.

Yes - MOST white posters are not going to have anything worth while to contribute. But those truly educated, level minded, objective posters - that happen to be white - are incredibly important to the discussion.

 

[StorminNorman]

The best possible reparations that could be offered to Black Americans and all Americans is an opportunity at an excellent education. Disparity in the public school systems exists because of the way public schools are funded. There should be less reliance on local property taxes (meaning, properties in poor neighborhoods pay fewer taxes, therefore offering less support for their local schools) and more federal funding with an equitable distribution of funds.

Kids have no control over the families they are born in to, whether rich or poor. And in this country, they shouldn't be penalized for having parents who are less affluent than others. Every single American child should have an equal opportunity at public education.

Better still - privatize schooling. Allow the parents to decide where their child goes to school and pay for it with federal school vouchers. Its the best solution - especially for the inner city.

 

[oakzap425]

...OR just improve inner city schools

 

[Malice]

Wasnt Bill Clinton the first black president?
Shouldnt he have gotten this done?

 

[chamber-music]

I'd much rather see the money go towards something that's helping the African-American community as a whole, than to them individually.

WORD

 

[StorminNorman]

...OR just improve inner city schools

But how do you improve them? Throwing money at them?

It is far more efficient to privatize the schools. Even schools in GOOD parts of town fail to educate like they should. This would rise the standards of education across the board - and not exclusively for inner city schools - which, I think, is best for everyone, no?

 

[turtlefocker]

really rough - outline -information thrown down on page-- tell me what you think--- even if it is negative -- not really my point of view exactly---

Essay Rough Copy

One of the most ghastly crimes against humanity is slavery. The 1641 Massachusetts legislative "Body of Liberties" legalized the enslavement of Africans. It wasn't until 1865 that Africans were considered free. Based on this 224-year period in which African people were treated in overwhelmingly terrible ways many members of modern society have begun demanding that the African Americans peoples receive reparations. While on the surface this appears to be the perfect way for amends to be made Descendants of slaves should not get reparations. The reasons for this is that everyone directly hurt by slavery is deceased, it would be nearly impossible to find the direct descendents of slaves, and the key issue of determining who would pay the reparations.

Everyone directly hurt by slavery is deceased. On October 5th 1979 Charles Smith died in Barstow, Florida. He claimed to have been 137 years old though, as there were no records kept of slaves birth, he is not considered to be the oldest living man -- that title goes to a 113 year old. Charles, whom was born in West Africa, was reputed to be the last living American slave. Not only is everyone who was directly hurt by slavery dead, so are those who caused it. As David Horowitz stated "I never owned a slave, I never oppressed anybody. I don't know that I should have to pay for someone who did two generations before I was born". Those who caused slavery and those who were hurt by slavery have long since passed.

If reparations were to be put into effect it would be nearly impossible to find out whom is and who isn't the direct descendant of slaves. During the late 1700's and early 1800's the majority of Africans were not slaves. "Of the African Americans in the south; 261,988 were not slaves," says Robert M. Grooms. In fact in New Orleans over 2,00 free Africans owned slaves themselves. That is about 28% of the free Africans in that city. It is also estimated that over 12,000,000 Africans were sold by Africans to Europeans. Meaning that not only were Africans owning their own slaves, when free, they were also involved from the very beginning in the slave trade. If money were to be paid to descendants it would need to be paid to actual descendents of slaves. Birth records were not kept for the slaves and the US census bureau doesn't track ancestry so it would be impossible to find out who is and who isn't the descendant of a slave.

A key issue is determining who would pay the reparations. In the early 1800's only approximately 1.4% of people owned slaves. The reason this number is so small is that most people either didn't want, need or, simply could not afford slaves. Africans were used as slaves on farms - tobacco and cotton mostly - but people didn't just "Have" slaves. So with such as small amount owning slaves it seems unjust that the descendants of people whom did nothing wrong would have to pay. The entire idea of reparations for slavery this long after the fact brings up numerous dilemma's. People cannot be blamed for their ancestor's mistakes. If they could than would you have to take up your father jail sentence if he died before finishing it? The idea of such a thing is ludicrous. There is simply no one alive responsible for slavery.

Slavery will forever be a tragic part of mankind's history but it is clear the reparations should not be paid. All those who are directly hurt by slavery are deceased, Charlie Smith - the last living former slave- died in 1979. It would be nearly impossible to find out who is actually a descendant of slaves, even if this were possible there is still the question of who would pay, with no one alive having been responsible for the slave trade. Reparations for slavery should not be paid.

 

[turtlefocker]

its an early assignment only supposed the be 500 words so I have to edit out like a hundred

 

[oakzap425]

Essay Rough Copy

One of the most ghastly crimes against humanity is slavery. The 1641 Massachusetts legislative "Body of Liberties" legalized the enslavement of Africans. It wasn't until 1865 that Africans were considered free. Based on this 224-year period in which African people were treated in overwhelmingly terrible ways, many members of modern society have begun demanding that the African American[delete]s[/delete] people[delete]s[/delete] receive reparations. While on the surface this appears to be the perfect way for amends to be made, descendants of slaves should not get reparations. The reasons for this is that everyone directly hurt by slavery is deceased,You either need a semi colon or a period, not a comma it would be nearly impossible to find the direct descendents of slaves, and the key issue of determining who would pay the reparations.

Everyone directly hurt by slavery is deceased. On October 5th 1979 Charles Smith died in Barstow, Florida. He claimed to have been 137 years old though, as there were no records kept of slaves birth, [delete]he is not considered to be the oldest living man -- that title goes to a 113 year old.[/delete]You don't need that part. YOur paper is about reparations, not oldest living person. Yes, Smith's age is important, but the topic of him being the last slave living is more important to your acutal paper. Charles, whom was born in West Africa, was reputed to be the last living American slave. [delete]Not only is everyone who was directly hurt by slavery dead, so are those who caused it.[/delete]Stop being repetitive. This is why it's more than 500 words. You keep making the same statement over As David Horowitz stated "I never owned a slave, I never oppressed anybody. I don't know that I should have to pay for someone who did two generations before I was born". [delete]Those who caused slavery and those who were hurt by slavery have long since passed.[/delete]

If reparations were to be put into effect it would be nearly impossible to find out whom is and who isn't the direct descendant of slaves. During the late 1700's and early 1800's the majority of Africans were not slaves. "Of the African Americans in the south; 261,988 were not slaves," says Robert M. Grooms. In fact in New Orleans over 2,00 free Africans owned slaves themselves. That is about 28% of the free Africans in that city. It is also estimated that over 12,000,000 Africans were sold by Africans to Europeans. Meaning that not only were Africans owning their own slaves, when free, they were also involved from the very beginning in the slave trade. If money were to be paid to descendants it would need to be paid to actual descendents of slaves. Birth records were not kept for the slaves and the US census bureau doesn't track ancestry so it would be impossible to find out who is and who isn't the descendant of a slave.

A key issue is determining who would pay the reparations. In the early 1800's only approximately 1.4% of people owned slaves. The reason this number is so small is that most people either didn't want, need or, simply could not afford slaves. Africans were used as slaves on farms - tobacco and cotton mostly - but people didn't just "Have" slaves. So with such as small amount owning slaves it seems unjust that the descendants of people whom did nothing wrong would have to pay. The entire idea of reparations for slavery this long after the fact brings up numerous dilemma's. People cannot be blamed for their ancestor's mistakes. If they could than would you have to take up your father jail sentence if he died before finishing it? The idea of such a thing is ludicrous. There is simply no one alive responsible for slavery.

Slavery will forever be a tragic part of mankind's history but it is clear the reparations should not be paid. All those who are directly hurt by slavery are deceased, Charlie Smith - the last living former slave- died in 1979. It would be nearly impossible to find out who is actually a descendant of slaves, even if this were possible there is still the question of who would pay, with no one alive having been responsible for the slave trade. Reparations for slavery should not be paid.

I'm done. Your paper makes me tired. Email and maybe I can help you later.